Lock light



Sept. 24, 1940. A D, LE SAGE 2,216,014

LOCK LIGHT Filedreb) 21, 1940 Patented Sept. 24, 1940 UNITED STATES Ii rrrr:.N'1 OFFICE Claims.

This invention relates to a device for ready attachment to a motor vehicle so as to light the key hole of the door of the car.

Among the objects of my inventionis to pro- 5` vide a key hole light for car doors which can be turned off and on by the mer-e flick of the finger and without the need of a switch. My light is turned off and on by the rocking of a pivotally supported bulb, the circuit being completed by the l0 contact of the metal collar of the bulb on the metal casing of my device. My invention contemplates such other objects, advantages, and capabilities as will later more fully appear and which are inherently possessedby my invention.

Referring to the drawing, Fig. l is a detail perspective view of my lock light attached to a car; Fig. 2' is a front elevation, 'Fig'. 3 is a side elevation and Fig. 4 a bottom plan View of one embodiment of my lock light; Fig. 5 is a detail 2O sectional view on line 5-5 of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view on line 6-6 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of another embodiment partly broken away to show openings; Fig..8 is a front elevation of my second embodiment; Fig.'9l

is a detail sectional view on line 9-9 of Fig. 8,

and Fig. l0 is a bottom plan view of the same.

One embodiment selected to illustrate my invention, as shown in Fig. 2, comprises a metal base I0 having a lower flange II with a groove 30 I2 for attachment to the band or trim I3 of a motor vehicle I4 adjacent the key hole I5 of the door I6, A socket I1 is provided in the outer central portion of the base I0 in which is positioned a nonconductor retaining member I8. A

35 resilient member I9 adapted to carry electric current is swingably attached to a hole in said retaining member I8. A wire 2| leads from the socket to an electrical source of supply such as the battery of the car. An electric light bulb 40 22 has a blunt rounded end 23 pivotally held within the open end of pivot member I9. A metal casing 24 is removably attached to base I9 by any suitable means such as extensions 25 in the base IIJ frictionally fitting within opening 45 26 in the bottom of the casing 24. The casing 24 has a bottom central opening 34 to surround socket I1.

The casing 24 has an opening 21 in one wall 28 and an opening 29 in the opposite wall 3U. The openings 21 and 29 are vertically offset with relation to each other so that opening 21 is higher than open-ing 29. This construction provides the inner portion of wall 3U with a shoulder 3| direct- 55 ly above opening 29 and the inner portion of (CL 24U-2.13)

wall 28 with a shoulder 32 directly below opening 21.

In use let us assume that it is dark and the driver approaching his car desires to unlock the door to enter the car.Y He places a ringer into 5- opening 29 in casing 24 and. pushes bulb 22 until its metal base' or collar 33 contacts lower shoulder 32, completing the electric circuit and causing the bulb to be illuminated. After the l driver has unlocked his car he places his finger I into opening 21 and pushes the bulb 22 until it is free from contactv with shoulder 32, breaking the circuit and causing the light in bulb 22 to go out. Even if the driver pushes the bulb 22 as far as it will go collar 33 will not contact any 1`5" portion of the casing on` the other side because bulb 22 will eventually contact upper shoulder 3| which will act as a Vstop member. The light in bulb 22 thus remains out until the driver has .pushed the bulb 22 in the opposite direction so 20 that collar 33 again contacts lower shoulder 32. Another embodiment shown in Fig. 7 provides that the casing 2-4 have as an integral part of its lower portion a flange I Iv with a groove I2 for attachment to a car. The bottom central open- Q5 ing 34 of casing 24 receives a nonconductor retaining member IB surrounding the end of a wire 2i leading from the electrical source of supply. In the opening 2|! in said member I8 is swingably attached a pivot member I9. The device is otherwise as set out for the first disclosed embodiment her-ein, and operates in the same manner.

It is also within the contemplation of my invention that my device may be detached from the motor vehicle and bythe attachment of a 35 long cord used for trouble shooting or electrical testing.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A device of the class described comprising a metal casing having an aperture, a nonconductor retaining member adapted to extend into said aperture, a wire leading from said retaining member to an electrical source of supply, a hollow metal spring swingably attached to said retaining member and contacting said wire, an electric light bulb having a metal collar and a `metal end, the end of said bulb pivotally mounted in the open end of said hollow spring, said casing having a pair of oppositely disposed and vertically offset windows forming a shoulder above the lower set window and a shoulder below the higher set window so that upon manual pressure on the bulb in the direction of the higher set window the bulb will swing until its collar contacts the lower shoulder and completes the electrical circuit and illuminates the bulb, and upon manual pressure on the bulb in the direction of the lower set window the bulb will swing until its glass portion contacts the higher shoulder and prevents completion of the electrical circuit and illumination of the bulb.

2. A lzey hole light comprising a metal base, a ange forming part of said base for attachment to the trim band of an automobile adjacent the key hole of the door, a socket formed within said base, a wire leading from said socket to an electrical source of supply, a nonconductor retaining member attached to said socket, a hollow metal spring swingably attached to said retaining member and contacting said socket on its lower end, a metal casing having an aperture, said socket adapted to extend within said aperture, an electric light bulb having a metal collar and a metal end, the end of said bulb pivotally mounted in the open end of said hollow spring, said casing having a pair of oppositely disposed and vertically offset windows forming a shoulder above the lower set window and a shoulder below the higher set window so that upon manual pressure on the bulb in the direction of the higherset windowrthe bulb will swing until its collar contacts the lower shoulder and completes the electrical circuit and illuminates the bulb, and upon manual pressure on the bulb in the direction of the lower set window the bulb will swing until its glass portion contacts the higher shoulder and prevents completion of the electrical circuit and` illumination of the bulb.

3. A key hole light comprising a metal casing having a lower flange portion for attachment to the trim band of an automobile adjacent the key hole of the door, said casing having an aperture, a nonconductor retaining member adapted to extend into said aperture, a wire leading from said retaining member to an electrical source of supply, a hollow metal spring swingably attached to said retaining member and contacting said wire, an electric light bulb having a metal collar and a metal end, the end of said bulb pivotally mounted in the open end of said hollow spring, said casing having a pair of oppositely disposed and vertically offset windows forming a shoulder above the lower set window and a shoulder below the higher set window so that upon manual pressure on the bulb in the direction of the higher set window the bulb will swing until its collar contacts the lower shoulder and completes the electrical circuit and illuminates the bulb, and upon manual pressure on the bulb in the direction of the lower set window the bulb will swing until its glass portion contacts the higher shoulder and prevents completion of the electrical circuit and illumination -of the bulb.

4. In a lighting means having a connection with an electrical source of supply, a nonconducto-r retaining member attached to said connection, a resilient metal member swingably attached to said retaining member and contacting said connection, an electric light bulb having a metal collar and a metal end pivotally mounted on said resilient member, a metal casing housing said retaining member, resilient member and electric light bulb, said bulb swingable upon manual pressure within said casing, said casing constructed on one side to receive contact with the metal collar of the electric light bulb to complete the electrical circuit and illuminate the bulby and constructed on an opposite side to receive contact with the bulb to prevent completion of the electrical circuit and illumination of the bulb.

5. An electric light device comprising a casing having an aperture, an electric light bulb removably positioned within said casing, an electric insulated wire having one end leading from an electrical source of supply, the other end of said wire extending Within said aperture and adapted to pivotally receive the terminal end of said electric light bulb, said casing having oppositely disposed and vertically offset holes and rims, said rims acting as a stopper for the electric light bulb when` it is manually rocked on its pivot to establish or break oft an electric circuit.

AARON D. LE SAGE. 

